Teachers wrap up school year derailed by COVID-19 pandemic, look ahead to August

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Normally, teachers are on campus saying goodbye to their students on this day, but instead they’re at home wrapping up distance learning.

“It is email, email, email, last moments, students sending in different projects,” said Jim Frazee, history teacher at Centennial High School. “It’s an interesting way to finish the year. It’s a both rewarding that we got through this.”

In a normal scenario, Frazee said this would’ve been a completely different kind of day.

“Just fun. Just a real enjoyable day, where everybody is just like breathing a sigh of relief,” Frazee said.

For some educators, there’s no sign of relief at the moment, as many return to campus to clean their rooms while following social distancing guidelines. CCSD asked educators to finish that task by Thursday.

“I think I have an hour and a half tomorrow morning to go in and get my stuff,” Frazee said.

Frazee says he can’t pack up his classroom in only an hour and a half, but he says he’s going to work as quickly as he can.

“I’m going to find out real quick, what I value the most and throw everything else out,” Frazee said. “It’s like moving.”

Frazee is also an executive board member with the Clark County Education Association. He says the teachers union already set priorities for the upcoming school year.

“The number one concern isn’t so much starting off with academics,” Frazee said. “It is about physical safety and getting everybody to get through. Just that word ‘safe.’”

It remains unknown at the moment how education will look when school starts again on August 10.

Students are also returning to campus to pick up items and drop off textbooks. Each school designates the time and day for that.

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